As New Mexico barely lands on this summer’s top 10 ranking of United States of film production, North Carolina gets to work, while top ranked NOLA capitalizes.

Hollywood’s P3 Update published their list in July which ranked states on an “attractive combination of tax incentives, crew base, talent pool, infrastructure, accessibility, significant production revenue and overall popularity among filmmakers.”

Still no direct word or public appearances from your Governor in support of her purported turnaround in stance, now in favor of the New Mexico Film Industry.

The expected and admitted “hit” NM productions have suffered over the past year at the hands of political targeting by the sitting administration, during the Legislative session in January 2011, has been well in focus around the rest of the country, with even Variety spotlighting the downturn here as recently as October.

So as North Carolina Governor, Beverly Perdue took an active role in wrangling Iron Man 3 away from New Mexico, New Orleans builds tours around its premiere movie making prowess, Colorado is set to re-double efforts and incentives to keep film alive in their state, what say you New Mexico? Governor Susana Martinez remains mum, save her famous epistle to Hollywood and the voices of her cabinet.

The second most responsible Government Office in charge of the standings of our great state in relation to the rest of the nation, nay the world, is the State Tourism Department, which recently laid claims to a $4-5 million “direct overall impact” for their $640,000 spent on a recent campaign built around the long dead and once vilified lore of Billy the Kid – without question.

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“the multi-media campaign was pumped right back into the economy and was spent at local hotels, businesses and restaurants”
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While New Mexico presently sits on Breaking Bad, one of the most acclaimed and rabidly favored, globally followed, hit scripted television shows ever. The AMC production along with multimillion dollar films, other television productions, a continuous flow of incoming and homegrown independents generate worldwide interest and YES tourism above and beyond the work for local trades, talent and actual boost to multi-county economies.

The very perception of New Mexico to the rest of the world stands to benefit from the cinema scope maintaining a name for the state as a leader in production lends. Still New Mexico Film is given little recognition in that regard and remains in fact the proverbial “bird on a wire”. Subject to a bill calling for an unbiased study to measure the state’s film program’s economic impact – which can either be a blessing or a continued curse. In either case perhaps the standard of intense study should too be imposed on our 36th ranked tourism standing.

Given that the Governor’s chief of staff guarantees there will be no legislation “with an executive message” in the next session come January to alter the existing incentives, which with strong pro-film organization lobbying were left at 25% – however capped at $50M, perhaps an executive message to lift the cap or at least invest even more tangible support in the industry and its thousands of invested New Mexican talent, crews, businesses, support services and students is in order.